Switch-stand.



J. B. STRONG.

SWITCH STAND.

APPLICATION um 001'. 2a, 1913.

. 1,097,99 Patented May 26, 1914.

W/TNE SES: 5 INVENTOR Z0, 7% j my. W

A TTORNE Y8 JAMES BOORMAN STRONG, OF RAMAJS'O, NEW YORK.

- SWITCH-STAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 26, 1914;

Application filed October 28, 1913. Serial No. 797,720.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES B. Sraomna citizen of the United States, residing at Ramapo, in the county of Rockland, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Stands, of which the followingis a specification.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an extremely compact and rigid switch stand which can be used in confined situations as between tracks on close track centers, and which will permit the use of lamps or targets below a height that would be dangerous to members of a train crew on thesteps of passing trains.

The invention consists particularly in providing a new and novel arrangement of the parts of theswitch stand; in improved means for securing such parts in proper relation to each other; in increasing the strength of the .var-io11s parts which are sub jected to strain; and in the various other,"

new and novel features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the switch stand embodying' my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, Fig. 3 is a detail view, partly in section, showing the means of locking the horizontal shaft so as to permit speedy assembling and replacements, Fig. 4

is a side elevation, partly in section, of'the switch stand, and Fig. 5 is a detail view.

showing the attaching yoke of the horizontal shaft.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown my invention embodied in a manually actuated switch stand comprising a casing 1 provided with a removable cover- 2 having the spindle 3 mounted therein. The spindle extends below the casing and is connected to the rod 4, which may be secured to a switch point. and projects above the casing a suitable distance to receive a target or switch lamp. The switch is operated by means of a handle or lever 5' which may be of the usual construction, and is operatively connected with the spindle by gears which are contained within the casing. p

The spindle is mounted in bearings provided in the cover and in an inwardly projecting flange 6 which may form a portion of the bottom ofthe casing. The cover and the flange-are spaced apart only a sufiicient distance toreceive the hub 7 of the segspindle The hub has a bearing on the flangeimmediately above the bearing for the spindle and supports the spindle which 'is held against vertical displacement with respect thereto by any suitable means, as the cotter pm 9. The bearing surface for the hub may be provided directly on the flange or on a thin bearing washer 10 interposed between the hub and flange, as desired.

The inner end .of the flange is provided with'an enlargement or head 11 that preferablyislarger in sectionthan the flange and extends ,slightly'above and below the lower bearing of the spindle. Said head is recessed preferably in the plane of the flange to provide a bearing 12 for the reduced inner end of the driving shaft 14: which is arranged preferably at right angles to the spindle andis attached to the actuating handle or lever 5. Said shaft has an outer bearing 15 in the wall of the casing and a driving gear 16 is mounted upon said shaft between these bearings to mesh with and actuate the driven gear 8.-

In order to hold the horizontal driving shaft against displacemenn the head is preferably provided with a recess 17 which registers \with a channel .18 provided in thereducedbearing end of the shaft. Said recess and channel are adapted to receive a slotted key 19 whic'hholds the shaft against displacement while permitting free turning movement thereof.

By means of this construction, the hub of the segmental gear is mounted on the spindle immediately adjacent the lower bearing therefor, thus reducing to 'a minimum the torsional strain in the spindle. Since the mental driven gear 8 that is mounted on the inner end of the flange or bottom of the casing is utilized as a bearing for the horizontal shaft, both the strength and rigidity of this flange can be increased without waste of material. The means for securing the parts together permits the switch stand to be readily "assembled or taken down for replacements and repairs.

My improved construction utilizes practically the entire space in the casing and enables the switch stand to be made much lower in height than has heretofore been possible without reducing the gears with respect either to size or strength. Consequently, the stand can be employed in various places where the use of switch stands in'g train.

, greater reliability in connection with the heaviest equipment.

I claim as my invention v 1. In a switch stand the combination of a casing comprising. a flangeintegral therewith, a spindle having .an upper bearing in the casing and a lower bearing in the flan e, a shaft extending through the side of t e casing and provided with bearings in said flange andthe casing arranged in line with the lower bearing of the spindle, means operatively connect-in the shaft and spindle, and means for operatmg the sha-ft.

2. In a switch stand the combination of a casing comprising a flange provided with a horizontal portion integral with the casing, a spindle having an upper bearing in the casing and a lower bearing inthe horizontal portion of the flange, a driven gear having a hub mounted on said spindle and extending between the upper and lower bearings, a

shaft perpendicular to the spindle mounted on bearings in line with the'horizontal portion of the flange, and a driving gear on the shaft engaging the driven'gear, and means for rotating said shaft to actuatethe spindle.

3. In a switch stand the combination of a' casing comprising an inwardly extending flange, a spindle extending through said casing and having a bearing in said flange,a head having-a larger section than the flange and formed integral therewith, a'shaft arranged at an angle to the spindle and having 4. In a switch stand the combination of a casing comprising an inwardly extending flange, a spindle extending through said casing and having a bearing in said flange, a shaft arranged at an angle to the spindle and having a bearing in said flange in line with the bearing of said spindle, said flange and shaft having registering recesses, and securing means detachablymounted in said recesses to hold the shaft against displacement. 1

5. In a switch stand the combination of a casing comprising a top portion and an inwardly extending flange spaced therefrom, a spindle extending through said casing and having hearings in said top portion and in said flange, a gear having a hub mounted on said spindle and extending between the upper and lower bearings therefor, ahead on the flange extending above and below the lower spindle bearing and having a larger section than said flange, said head being provided with a vertical central recess, a hor1- zontal shaft having a bearing in the head inline with the flange and provided with a channel adapted to register with said recess,

a key detachably engaging in said recess and channel to hold the shaft against displacement, a gear on the shaft engaging the gear on the spindle, and means for actuating the shaft, JAMES BOORMAN STRONG. Signed in the presence of- -EDWARD J. BANKER,

BOWER W. BARNWELL. 

